Paragon Orthopedic Center Blog

The collarbone is also known as the clavicle and connects your breastbone to your shoulder blade.  Broken clavicles are fairly common and seen in many age groups.  They usually happen in the young from a sports injury, and in the older ages from falls.  Dr. Bents typically sees a few of these every month.  Your clavicle is not completely hardened until age 20, so the younger set is at a higher risk of a break.  Here is an article about the symptoms, causes, risk factors, and complications of a broken clavicle.  There are many variables in the treatment of one because a treatment plan depends on the severity of the break; some some require immobilization, and some require surgery.  If pain prevents you from your normal activity, call your healthcare provider to be seen.  Dr. Bents is happy to see you at Paragon Orthopedic Center and our staff is ready to help you if you think you need to be seen: 541-472-0603.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-collarbone/symptoms-causes/syc-20370311

Here in Grants Pass, the American Legion is having an Open House to celebrate Flag Day from 2pm-5pm today.  They are located at 206 NW F Street.  Why do we celebrate Flag Day, you ask?  Well here are 10 interesting facts that will help you understand why from Fox.  One very interesting fact on this site tells us that the Pledge of Allegiance was not written for Flag Day, but for Columbus Day, which in our state of Oregon no longer exists because it was renamed Indigenous Peoples Day by the Senate this past May.  Strange times, these are.  We at Paragon Orthopedic Center honor our nation’s flag and, taking one day at a time,  hope you’ll take a moment to learn something new about today’s celebration.

https://www.fox61.com/article/news/history/10-facts-about-flag-day/83-7ad33d86-2abe-42c0-96d3-112434c2bf67

 

 

Just sent out yesterday to our email subscribers, the June Paragon Orthopedic Center newsletter is here!  This month, we are discussing HIPAA.  It has become a hot topic when speaking of the Covid vaccine and who can ask whether you have received it.  Do you know who is held to the HIPAA standards?  Do you know what HIPAA stands for?
Read here:

Paragon Press, June 2021

To piggyback on yesterday’s blog where we explored whether a hip replacement might be necessary for you, here is information right on our Paragon Orthopedic website about hip arthroscopy.  This is a tool surgeons use to treat and diagnose for further surgical intervention for your hip problems.  In yesterday’s 8 signs whether you need a hip replacement, this comes under #8.  Dr. Van Horne and Dr. Bents frequently do these to examine the extent of the issues within your hip joint.  MRI’s and CT scans provide some information, but they are not perfect ways of knowing all that is going on within your hip joint.  Sometimes, the scope is all that is needed to relieve your pain and get you moving again, but depending on what they see, more surgery might be required.  This comprehensive video on our website goes through the prep, incisions and accessing the joint, diagnosis and repairs, and end of the procedure information.  It’s less than 5 minutes and can help you understand hip arthroscopy start to finish.  Click here to view:

https://www.paragonorthopedic.com/diagnostic-hip-arthroscopy.php

Having hip or knee pain affects every part of your life as you move about your day.  Even sitting can become painful.  Here we will provide eight signs that it might be time to have your joint replaced.

1. Completing routine tasks, such as putting on your pants or walking to the car, is difficult.
2. Conservative treatments, such as physical therapy or over the counter medicines, are not helping.
3. Your pain is chronic and noticeable.
4. The pain is taking a toll on you mentally and emotionally.
5. You’re noticing side effects from medicines used to treat the pain.
6. Less complicated surgeries are unlikely to help.
7. Your range of motion has become limited.
8. Tests reveal significant damage or advanced arthritis.

Both Dr. Rob Bents and Dr. Jim Van Horne are ready to help you with your hip concerns.  Call Paragon Orthopedic Center today for an appointment to talk to someone about whether you might be ready for surgery.  (541)472-0603.

To read more details, here is the full article about the 8 signs:
https://www.orthobethesda.com/blog/8-signs-to-know-if-you-need-hip-replacement-surgery/

We at Paragon Orthopedics Center know milk is not the only way to get your daily calcium, but it is one of the most natural and effective ways to get what you need for strong bones.  June is the month chosen to promote milk drinking and if it means strong bone health, then we are all in for this promotion!  We love to see you when you’re having a problem with your bones, but we would like to prevent you from going through the hassle of it when we can.  Drink milk, get your calcium every day, and strengthen your bones Southern Oregon!  Did you know cows were first domesticated 8000 years ago?  Read a bit more about this and why this observation is important here:

https://nationaltoday.com/national-dairy-month/#why-we-love

As we told you in a previous blog, here is the May edition of the Paragon Press newsletter with more information about trigger finger.  These are so common that Dr. Bents sees patients at Paragon Orthopedics Center in Grants Pass multiple times in a week with this problem.  Not all need surgery, and Dr. Bents can help you formulate a plan of care for your individual finger issue to decrease your discomfort and increase your range of motion.  We review trigger finger symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment here:

Paragon Press, May 2021

Memorial Day weekend is coming and along with it in Southern Oregon, some really sunny weather.  Are you thinking about protecting your skin from the sun’s damaging rays?  Three big reasons to read more:  there are some facts about sunscreen you will likely find surprising, you might be using your sunscreen incorrectly, and not following recommendations by dermatologists can result in skin damage.  Did you know that a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) greater than 50 does not offer you any more significant coverage?  These higher SPF products can be higher in price, so you can save yourself some money by sticking to 30, which blocks 97% of UVB rays, or 50, which blocks 98%.  How much sunscreen do you use?  Did you know you should be using an amount that would fill a shot glass to cover your unprotected skin?  Do you know the difference between UVA and UVB?  UVA rays penetrate more deeply in the skin and accelerate aging, whereas UVB cause burning.  Both can cause skin cancers.  SPF in a lotion only tells you about protection from UVB.  How do you know if your sunscreen protects against UVA damage?  Look for the words “broad spectrum,” which indicate UVA protection.  Read more details on these facts and additional great information in this article from Time:

https://time.com/3924609/sunscreen-spf-uva-uvb/

With around 16 million Americans complaining they suffer with back pain, there are many people who could use a mattress that doesn’t leave them with more discomfort.  Finding the right one for you can be tricky and daunting in a showroom.  Think you might need a firmer mattress?  Try putting plywood under your current mattress, or place your mattress on the floor.  An article put out by WebMD goes through a number of factors to consider as you look at mattresses, and cites some research to give you the courage to make a good purchase.  Check it out:

https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/best-mattress-for-lower-back-pain

Maybe you or someone you know was told you needed a bone density test.  Doctors use this test for a few reasons:

• To confirm osteoporosis
• To identify decreases in bone density before you suffer a fracture
• To determine your risk for broken bones
• To monitor the treatment of osteoporosis

Regardless of your sex or age, anyone can develop problems with your bone density.  Some medications put you more at risk, and hormone levels can also contribute to the problem.  To read more about this and symptoms that your doctor might be looking for, read this article from the Mayo Clinic:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-density-test/about/pac-20385273